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10 Ways to Create the Wrong Brochure
To be successful, a brochure needs to be produced with a precise objective and a target reader in mind. It's best to create the least elaborate brochure likely to achieve its objectives.
Deciding on Your Purpose
Brochures fall into two broad categories -- those that introduce a new product or service to a likely customer and those that turn an already interested customer into a buyer.
Using Color
Full color is more costly but is justified if the product or service you are offering needs color to show its features. For example, a wallpaper brochure or a brochure of knitwear would not work effectively in anything other than full color. Another reason for using full color may be to compete head-on with a rival's color brochure.
Using two or even three colors is a cheaper alternative to full color and can be quite effective, especially if part of the brochure is printed in a screened color that lightens the tone and gives the effect of another color.
A limited use of color can look more sophisticated than bold colors. You might also consider using full color in only part of a brochure, or you might try using colored paper -- although that is quite tricky to do well.
10 Ways to Create the Wrong Brochure
- Being concerned with the looks, but forgetting the sales objective.
- Giving the printer poor artwork, but expecting excellent results.
- Forgetting to emphasize the unique selling proposition of your business.
- Omitting (or hiding) prices if they are critical to the reader's decision-making.
- Printing too many brochures with details that date too quickly.
- Giving insufficient thought to how the brochure should best be distributed.
- Using text on the brochure that is too small to read easily.
- Including poor-quality or inappropriate illustrations.
- Allowing a fussy or complex design to distract from the key selling message.
- Forgetting to monitor the response (as with any other type of advertising).
Effective Marketing
by Peter Hingston
If you've always wished for a marketing guide that didn't take as long to read and digest as the actual marketing process itself, you'll love this itty-bitty crash course, which zooms in on four key areas: putting customers first, building strong products, maximizing publicity, and developing an overall strategy. On every page, boxed power tips, quickie case-studies, to-do checklists, and easy-to-follow flowcharts demystify the process. Granted, if you're looking for specific or in-depth guidance, you may find this book too general in its approach. But if you're looking for a thumbnail guide to the basics, it'll do just fine.
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